The Drake Restrained Compete Collection: Part 1 - 4 (The Drake Series Book 7)

by Lund, S. E.

  Kate said nothing, her eyes searching mine, biting her lip.

  "Ms. Bennet," I said and shook my head. "Kate, I love you. I never, ever want to be separated from you again."

  She was still speechless, and seemed to be holding her breath.

  "Kate," I said, smiling at the expression on her face. "Your face is getting red. You should breathe now."

  She burst out crying, covering her face with her hands. I wrapped my arms around her, her face in the crook of my neck. I pulled a handkerchief out of a pocket and gave it to her so she could wipe her eyes, rocking her back and forth. Then I tilted her head up and kissed her.

  "But you're leaving…" she repeated.

  "I want you to come with me."

  She shook her head. "Africa was so hard for me."

  I brushed hair off her cheek. "Not where we'll be. Kenya is so beautiful, Kate. Where I'll work, it's so full of hope and promise. You'll love it. The wildlife is spectacular. You could work on your art, your photography, write…"

  "I haven't finished my MA."

  "You can take a leave of absence. When we come back, you could finish it."

  "What would I go as? Your submissive?"

  "As my love,” I said, filled with emotion. “As the woman I can't live without. And, when we wanted it, and needed it, as my submissive."

  She sighed, her eyes still brimming, and leaned against me, her face in the crook of my neck.

  When a guest arrived at the front door, I took Kate’s hand and led her to the bathroom, closing the door behind us. I lifted her up onto the vanity while I rifled through the drawers in search of a washcloth, which I ran under cold water. I held it to her eyes, which were red from crying, her nose pink and a bit swollen. I leaned against her, resting between her thighs, and stared into her eyes.

  “I look a mess,” she said and slipped off the vanity. She opened a drawer and took out some makeup. "You don’t have to stay with me for this," she said and applied foundation to cover up her red nose.

  I sat on the bathtub and watched her in the mirror. "I forgot how much I love watching a woman dress and put on her face,” I said. “It's so intimate."

  "You used to like it?"

  I smiled. "When I was married. I used to watch her in the morning before she went to work."

  "What did she do?"

  "A nurse—of course. Who else do doctors spend so much time with? We worked together at NYP. If the nurses have a bad opinion of me, it's because of the divorce. It split them into two camps—those who still liked me and those who hated me because of the split."

  "Sorry to hear that. It's hard to stay neutral in a divorce."

  Kate finished her makeup and turned around, leaned against the vanity and watched me. I knew she probably wanted to hear more about my failed marriage, so as much as I hated speaking about it, I did for her sake.

  "I thought I'd never make the same mistake as my father, but I made every single one. He neglected my mother. He was so busy with his business and with his charity and his music that she finally gave up and left him."

  "She didn't keep in contact with you?"

  I shook my head. "My dad won custody. He had a really great lawyer…"

  "Who?" she said, her eyes widening. "My father?"

  I nodded. "Yep. Your father was working in Family Court then and advised my dad. My dad was just really starting to make money and was able to hire nannies and housekeepers to look after me. The judge thought I'd have a better life with my dad even if it meant I was kept away from my mother. She left and went back to California where her family was, remarried, and that was it. My father never remarried."

  "I'm so sorry, Drake,” she said, her voice warm and sympathetic. “To grow up without a mother…"

  I shrugged. "It explains a lot, really."

  She nodded, but didn’t say anything else.

  I stood up and went to her, putting my arms around her. "I've learned the hard way. Now, enough reminiscing. I want to have a nice evening with you now that we can. Your father wants us to come out with him to dance, but I pointed to my arm and used it as an excuse. I said I wanted to ring in the New Year with you alone. He thought that was probably a better idea, considering…"

  "I can't believe he accepted that you're into BDSM…"

  I shook my head, smiling. "He said 'I don’t care what bedroom games people play in the privacy of their own homes, for God's sake. I've played a few of my own. You have to in order to keep a marriage alive, and I was married to the same woman for twenty one-years…"

  "Bedroom games," she said, smiling back. Then she closed her eyes and leaned against me, her arms slipping around my waist. "Do you suppose he's a bit of a Dom himself?"

  "I wonder…" I said. "Sly old bastard, if so. Still, it must be hard for a father to think of his beloved daughter being sexual."

  "And vice versa. But, as long as he thinks of it as bedroom games, that’s okay by me."

  "Seriously, Kate,” I said. “I'm pretty tame when it comes to Doms. A lightweight. He said he did his research."

  "You're just right for me."

  I smiled at that. "I think so."

  "I know so."

  I kissed her and while it started out affectionate, it became passionate quickly, my hands slipping down to the hem of her dress to search for garters, which she hadn't worn.

  "No garters?"

  "I was too sad to wear them."

  "Do you have them here?"

  She nodded, a smile starting on her face. “I packed up my things and kind of moved back for a while.”

  "Go put them on with nothing on underneath."

  "Are you serious? At my parents’ New Year's Eve dinner?"

  "Please," I said, grinning. "I didn't get a present from you and I'm feeling all deprived. Consider it your present to me."

  She left the bathroom and I went to the living room to wait, enjoying the thought that she’d be bare beneath her dress.

  She returned in a few moments and stood at the entry to the living room. I was at the bar where I was speaking with the bartender, who was pouring some Anisovaya into my shot glasses. I took them and turned to Kate, a leer starting on my face when I thought of her wearing her stockings and garters and nothing else.

  I went to where she stood by the fireplace and handed her one of the glasses.

  "Za vas, moya lyubov," I said. "To you, my love."

  She said nothing, covering her mouth with a hand, smiling through tears.

  We shot the Anisovaya back and then I leaned in and kissed her immediately, wanting to taste the anise on her lips and tongue.

  "With you looking like that," I said, stepping back to examine her up and down, "and knowing what's underneath that dress? I don't know if I can wait until later. We may have to sneak off in between courses for a quickie."

  "You haven't given me a present yet either," she said, a grin spreading on her own face. "Maybe you could use me the way I've always wanted—a fast fuck in the broom closet that leaves me panting, in need of you. Later, you could take your time and satisfy me… Maybe pour some of that Anisovaya over me and lick it off…"

  I pulled her against me. "You are a kinky little thing, Ms. Bennet. You're going to make me very uncomfortable if you keep up with that teasing mind of yours and then I'll be embarrassed in front of your father's guests because of the tent in my pants. But maybe later, after dessert when there's a lull in things before we get into liqueurs, I'll tug at my ear and you'll go into the bathroom off your bedroom and wait for me. I may just have a nice big present for you…"

  She closed her eyes, and it pleased me that my words had such an effect on her. That was my Katherine—so responsive. How could I not love her passionately?

  After a round of cocktails and some light conversation with various guests, Ethan joined us, a huge smile on his beefy face, his boisterous gravelly voice indicating he was happy to see us standing together. I stayed with Kate the entire time and did my best to speak with everyone, although
my mind was occupied with being alone with her. She never left my side, and together, we talked to whoever came by to greet us.

  Nigel arrived with his partner and I was curious to see how Ethan would respond but Ethan smiled and shook Brian's hand and that was it. As soon as Nigel saw Kate, he came right over, introducing Brian to us both. After we said our hellos, Elaine came by and pulled Brian away for a moment to show him some artwork.

  Nigel leaned in to Kate and whispered something in her ear. It could have made me a bit mad but I was too ecstatic to let anything bother me.

  Then Nigel laid a hand on my shoulder. "I already had my little talk with Drake about you,” Nigel said, referring to our little talk at Ethan’s fundraiser, “so I won't say anything more."

  I smiled, biting back a snide comment.

  "Quit being my big brother, Nigel," Kate said, pointing a finger at him.

  "Someone has to be. Heath seems too busy with his own children."

  Then Nigel leaned down and kissed Kate on the cheek. "Happy New Year, Kate." Then he left us and went to where Brian and Elaine stood, admiring a piece of art.

  Kate sighed and turned to me. I put my arm around her shoulder. "What did he say to you that night?" she asked, leaning against me.

  "He just told me if I ever hurt a hair on your head, he'd have me thrashed soundly."

  We laughed at that. Mostly, we spoke to each other, and I took every opportunity to whisper in her ear, telling her what I wanted to do to her if we did get a chance to meet in the bathroom later.

  "Ms. Bennet, I want to slip my hand down under your dress and feel you. Are you already wet for me? I bet you are, you vixen…"

  "Shh, Drake," she said, her cheeks pink, but she couldn’t stop smiling.

  We sat together at the table as we had that first night at Ethan’s fundraising dinner, but this time she paid me constant attention and I couldn’t keep my eyes off her, barely acknowledging the rest of the guests, even Ethan himself. Luckily, people seemed to let us be, so we could enjoy each other.

  Once dinner was over and the servers took away our dessert plates, Ethan announced that we'd take our after dinner drinks in the living room. Ethan spoke to me about the dance afterwards, and I took the opportunity to tug on my ear so Kate would know I wanted her to go to the bathroom. She glanced away quickly, as if embarrassed, but then she stood up. "Please excuse me."

  She left the dining room just as people started to filter out and make their way to the living room. I lagged behind for a few moments, making small talk with Elaine before sneaking down the hall to the front entrance closet, where I removed the gift I’d brought for Kate. I slipped it into my trousers as a joke and opened the door to the bathroom. I went inside, closed the door and leaned against it.

  "I have something for you, Ms. Bennet."

  "You do?"

  "In my pants,” I said, wanting her to think I meant my erection. “Come and see for yourself. I need you to take it out. It's very uncomfortable."

  She obeyed like a good submissive and came to me, opening my suit jacket and running her fingers over my groin. She frowned and opened my fly before reaching in to find a long black velvet jewelry case.

  "Drake…" She opened it to reveal a black velvet choker with a single teardrop diamond in a white-gold setting.

  "I had it made specially for you back before all this happened,” I said, taking it out of the case. “I thought a black velvet choker would substitute pretty well for your leather collar and would be more appropriate to wear at special events like tonight." I went behind her and slipped the choker around her neck, fastening it, my eyes meeting hers in the mirror.

  She covered her mouth, tears in her eyes.

  I adjusted the choker so that the diamond fell in the hollow at the base of her throat, watching in the mirror. "Beautiful…" I whispered in her ear, for she was beautiful. I pushed her forward so that she leaned over the vanity facing the mirror. I lifted up her dress, groaning when my hands slid over the garters. Then I gave her another Christmas present.

  I tried to give it to her just the way she asked.

  I really tried but I couldn't stand not seeing her fulfilled.

  I was greedy like that.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Packing up Kate’s apartment gave me the opportunity to get to know her a bit better. As we sorted through her possessions, deciding which items to put in storage, throw out or take with us, I learned more about who and what she was. It made me love her even more.

  We sorted through her artwork, taking down the framed pictures and stacking them against the wall. I stood at the sound system, hooking my iPhone into it and selecting a song to play.

  "What's this?" she said, when I played something new I’d heard and immediately liked, despite it being contemporary.

  "It’s ‘Please Don't Go’ by Barcelona."

  Kate listened for a moment. "Sounds awfully sad for you."

  "I listened to this a lot during those days between Christmas and New Years."

  Kate smiled, and turned back to the pictures. I went and stood beside her.

  "I want to keep all of these,” she said, tilting her head to the side to examine one, “but none of them have to come with us."

  "I want this one to come," I said, pointing to the pencil drawing of the knight and his lady.

  "You like that one?"

  I nodded. "That was me when you met me."

  "Really?" Kate turned to me, a frown on her face. "I thought you said it was about me and how I couldn't have sex without intimacy because I wanted to feel like a good girl."

  I shook my head and pulled her against me, my arms slipping around her waist. "I can rationalize anything," I said and kissed her neck. "I was trying so hard to keep everything separated, my emotions under control."

  She took my hands in hers. "Why? I don’t understand. I wanted to fall in love. It's a loveless relationship I couldn’t imagine."

  I exhaled. How to explain? "When my marriage failed and I was given that restraining order, it was as if I had failed as a man." I thought back to that time. "Kate, I was like Flyboy. I was the asshole who didn't know what I was doing. I had to face up to who and what I was. I had to keep myself under complete control. Whatever the reason, I tried to keep you under control, confined to one spot, my emotions restrained. Luckily, I failed miserably."

  "I thought you had me quite well under control. I submitted completely and willingly. If it hadn’t been for Dawn, you might have had your wish. She kind of forced things."

  "Like I said, luckily."

  "Do you really feel that way?” Kate asked. “If she hadn't, we might have been happy in a simple D/s relationship and none of this would have happened."

  "I was already in love with you, just in denial."

  "Already?"

  I kissed her neck, my hands moving up under her left breast. "I think I fell in love with you at the concert. No, I know I fell in love with you then."

  She turned around in my arms, her hands on my chest, and looked me in the eyes. "Why the concert? That was so soon after we met. You hardly knew me."

  I shook my head slowly. "You don't understand. I'd heard your father speak about you for years. Katherine the beautiful, the brilliant, the humanitarian, the sweetheart who cried when she listened to music."

  "He told you that? You knew that when we went to the concert?"

  I nodded, feeling a bit guilty. "That's why I had to be there with you."

  "But you left when I asked you to."

  "Yes, but I hid and watched you. I had to see you, see if what he said was true."

  She turned back around and stared at the drawing of the knight and lady.

  "I asked someone who met you what you looked like," I said. "He was sniffing around you, another hungry dog like me, and he said you had these huge green eyes and long dark hair. Fair skin like your late mother. How petite you were but with lush breasts and curvy hips. I think I was a bit in love with you before I even met you. I kept ho
ping your father would bring you to a function, but he never did, as if he was protecting you. I should have known it was you when I saw you in the hallway at your father's apartment, and then I was so close to you in the bedroom, but I was distracted by your garters."

  Kate leaned back against me, squeezing my hands in hers. "Those garters were my undoing."

  "No, it was the heels. The heels did it. They're responsible for everything, so as much as I hated Dawn, she made you wear them and I could kiss her for it.”

  I thought about Kate’s former best friend, who wanted to break us up. Kate finally told me the whole story during our reunion night as we lay considering how close we came to breaking up for good. As much as Dawn tried to come between us, in the end, she only succeeded in pushing us closer together.

  “You bumped into me and practically fell into my arms at the bar because of them, and you did fall in the alley because of them, and then you were in my arms when I carried you to the bed. You were so lovely and desirable with your cut knees and ripped nylons, your scraped hands and those damn garters. It brought out the doctor in me and the Dom all at the same time. Even before I knew you were her, I was a goner. Not a chance in hell."

  I nuzzled the back of her neck.

  "Her?"

  "The beloved Katherine. The daughter of my second father. He was so proud of you. But he would never bring you anywhere, as if you were this princess who was too good for the rest of us. He was the kind of father I felt would never let a man anywhere near you unless he was top notch. I was so damn curious about you but you were like this mythical creature."

  She was a mythical creature to me back before I met her.

  "I feel like such an idiot,” Kate said. “I thought my father disapproved of me. That he thought I was a lightweight compared to Heath and that's why he never invited me to join him."

  "He didn't invite you to join him because he was sensitive about your problems after Africa. He wanted to give you time. My father died soon after your return and that's when your father and I really started to be friends. When I asked about you, he said to me that a daughter embodied a father's hopes and dreams. He said he wished for you the kind of man he wanted to be to his own wife—someone who would love you forever, deeply, passionately, and be devoted to you. Someone who would allow you to be who you were, and respect you for it, but who would help bring out the best in you."